A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
Astralis and G2 Esports won their groups Thursday and advanced to the semifinals of the $1 million BLAST Premier: World Final 2024 in Sentosa, Singapore.
Astralis swept MOUZ in the Group A winners match and G2 swept Team Spirit in the Group B winners match. MOUZ and Spirit moved into the quarterfinals of the single-elimination playoff bracket.
Also Thursday, FaZe Clan rallied for a 2-1 win over Natus Vincere in a Group A elimination match and Team Vitality came from behind for a 2-1 win against Team Liquid in a Group B elimination match. FaZe Clan and Vitality moved into the quarterfinals.
The Counter-Strike 2 event began Wednesday with eight teams battling for a top prize of $500,000. The top three teams from each group made the playoffs. All matches are best-of-three until Sunday’s best-of-five grand final.
Astralis won 13-7 on Vertigo and 13-9 on Nuke against MOUZ. Denmark’s Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz led the winners with 39 kills and a plus-22 kills-deaths differential.
NAVI opened with a 13-6 win on Inferno before FaZe Clan answered with a 13-8 win on Mirage and a 13-6 decision on Ancient. Robin “ropz” Kool of Estonia led FaZe Clan with 47 kills and a plus-10 differential.
G2 had a tough battle with Spirit, winning 16-13 on Anubis and 13-10 on Mirage. Russia’s Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov posted a team-high 42 kills and a plus-9 differential for G2.
After falling 13-10 to Liquid on Anubis, Vitality bounced back with a 13-3 victory on Dust II and a 13-11 decision on Nuke. France’s Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut tallied 53 kills and a plus-22 K-D ratio to pace Vitality.
Friday’s quarterfinals:
–Team Spirit vs. FaZe Clan
–MOUZ vs. Team Vitality
Final Group A standings:
1. Astralis, 2-0
2. MOUZ, 1-1
3. FaZe Clan, 1-1
3. Natus Vincere, 0-2
Final Group B standings:
1. G2 Esports, 2-0
2. Team Spirit, 1-1
3. Team Vitality, 1-1
4. Team Liquid, 0-2
BLAST Premier World Final prize pool:
1. $500,000
2. $250,000
3-4. $85,000
5-6. $25,000
7-8. $15,000 — Natus Vincere, Team Liquid
–Field Level Media